The final night of 2025 Emirates NBA Cup group play features 11 games that will determine six spots in the eight-team knockout stage. The Los Angeles Lakers and Toronto Raptors have already clinched their groups, leaving 12 teams vying for the remaining berths, including four group winners and two wild cards. Key win-and-in matchups include Orlando at Detroit, Phoenix at Oklahoma City, and San Antonio at Denver.
As group play concludes on Friday, November 28, 2025, the NBA Cup enters its decisive phase with high stakes across the league. The Lakers secured West Group B with a 3-0 record, highlighted by Luka Dončić's 43 points in a recent win over the Clippers, while the Raptors locked up East Group A. The Thunder, at 18-1 overall and favorites to win the tournament at -105 odds, host the Suns in a battle of unbeaten 3-0 teams for West Group A.
Three winner-take-all games define the night: Orlando Magic (3-0, +61 point differential) at Detroit Pistons (2-1, +24) for East Group B, where Anthony Black's recent 31-point outburst powers the Magic against Cade Cunningham's 31.0 points per game average. In West Group A, the Suns (3-0, +35) visit the Thunder (3-0, +71), with Devin Booker averaging 26 points and 6.9 assists amid Phoenix's defensive surge to ninth in rating. For West Group C, the Spurs (2-1, +23) face the Nuggets (2-1, +26), where Nikola Jokić has recorded 10 triple-doubles in 17 games, though San Antonio misses Victor Wembanyama.
In East Group C, the Knicks (2-1, +26) host the Bucks (2-1, +13) in an elimination game at Madison Square Garden; a New York win clinches the group, while a loss eliminates them, handing it to the Heat. Wild-card contenders include the Cavaliers (+33 differential), Grizzlies (+9), Clippers (-15), and others, with point differential as the key tiebreaker after head-to-head records.
Live updates show intense action: At halftime, the Bucks lead the Knicks 62-61, with Giannis Antetokounmpo posting 16 points and 10 rebounds in his return; the Magic edge the Pistons 59-58. The knockout stage bracket remains TBD, with quarterfinals set for December 9-10, semifinals on December 13, and finals on December 16. The Bucks won the 2024 Cup, following the Lakers' 2023 victory.
